PENANG, 10 Feb 2009: The DAP today made its stand clear that it was against party-hopping by elected representatives.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the party had never ceased asking for an ‘anti-hopping’ law — even when Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the supposed crossover of Barisan Nasional (BN) Members of Parliament (MPs) on 16 Sept 2008.

“This is the DAP policy … I have tried to be like a brother’s keeper but sometimes, we cannot be the keeper all the time.

“We are not denying that DAP and PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) might have differing views but we deal with it. We do not sweep everything under the carpet,” he told reporters after a ground-breaking ceremony to build a perimeter wall and gate at the Silver Jubilee Home in Sungai Nibong here today.

On 8 Feb, DAP chairperson Karpal Singh had lambasted PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, calling him “unfit to be a leader” for promoting a culture of party-hopping. He also expressed regret that certain DAP leaders seemed to support the idea of party-hopping.

However, Lim, who is also Penang Chief Minister, said PAS had also stated its stand against the hopping of elected representatives.

He said the DAP was willing to support the BN if they were to table the ‘anti-hopping’ law and assured that its 28 MPs would give their support.

On a report in Chinese dailies that the MCA and Gerakan were against money politics and corruption, he said they should support the formation of an ‘anti-hopping’ law. — Bernama